Many of you read my adventures from El Salvador in a recent issue of Headquarters Headlines. Well, I’m here to share part two of that adventure and beyond. Just a few short weeks after I wrote that article, I was invited to Guatemala to help with a video project for a group I had visited before. Little did I know that this trip would radically change my life.
I spent a week with the people from Mission Impact, a non-profit Christian organization. When I was there working with the kids on their video project about the malnutrition crisis in Guatemala, I wanted nothing more than to stay there and do more. Well, after I returned to the U.S. and back to work, I received an invitation to join the team, which I joyfully accepted.
So, what did this actually mean? I would have to sell my house, my belongings, and my car (that I just paid off less than a year ago)! I would have to give notice here at AH. How would that be received? Who would take over my position? How would my team react? AHHHHH! BREATHE.
When I gave notice here, I joked that I took AH’s social responsibility pillar to the extreme. You see, AH believes in supporting and giving back to the community. That is truly my heart. My relocating to Guatemala is a full-time, volunteer position — no salary, no benefits, no 401K nor PTO. It’s a calling and passion. Even though I know, without a doubt, this is the right choice for me, I still want to be able to support my team and client partner through this time of transition.So what are some steps to make for an easy transition… nice segue, huh?
- Nothing is a secret. Be transparent and share all knowledge with both your team and the incoming team member. The more they know about the status of projects, contracts, meetings, and finances, the easier the transition on the team and client partner.
- Overcommunicate. Don’t forget about other internal groups you may work with — accounting, IT and web, creative, data entry, MarCom, and IR. You may not work with them on a daily basis, but they need to be made aware of the change, the timing of the transition, and how they may be impacted.
- Organize. From your network folders to physical files, take some time to make sure everything is organized, labeled, and dated. I would also recommend setting up some time with your replacement to review file locations so they become comfortable with this new client partner. Although basic skills can easily transfer from client to client, it takes time to understand some smaller nuances of each individual client partner.
- Be available. Even though you may move on to a new job or even a new position inside the same organization, make yourself available for questions… at least for the first month. Be sure to set parameters around when and how you wish to be contacted as you are going through transition as well.
So in closing, change is never easy and accept that there will be things that may be missed, but if you follow these easy tips, you will be celebrating a smooth transition.
Sara and Jefferson in Guatemala in 2014
If you would like to support Sara in her volunteer efforts in Guatemala, Click Here
Select Sara Eliker Support under gift designation.
